cancer, and even certain aspects of the aging process.
The most healthful iron sources are the same foods that bring you calcium:
beans and green leafy vegetables. They are rich in iron but carry it in a special
form called non-heme iron. Your body easily absorbs this form when it’s in need
of more iron, but the iron passes harmlessly out of the body when you have all
you need. In contrast, meats contain heme iron, which is like an uninvited guest
at your party: It barges in whether you need it or not. Over the long run, meat
eaters tend to accumulate too much iron.
If you are anemic, do not rush out and buy iron supplements, or worse, add
lots of meat to your diet. Instead, work with your doctor to find out what kind of
anemia you have and why it occurred. Anemia can be a sign of kidney disease; it
can be caused by certain drugs; and it can be a sign of blood loss from your
digestive tract caused by gastrointestinal irritation or even colon cancer. It is
essential that you be evaluated and treated appropriately.
If you do need extra iron, turn first to greens and beans. Vitamin C–rich
foods, such as fruits and vegetables, increase the absorption of iron from the
other foods you eat, and avoiding dairy products helps, too. They are very low in
iron and actually reduce its absorption from your digestive tract.
Zinc. Zinc plays important roles in immune function, wound healing, and
many other biological functions, but as with iron, you can have too much of a
good thing. The most healthful sources include legumes, nuts, and fortified
breakfast cereals (e.g., Post Grape-Nuts, bran flakes, and granola).
Fat. Good fats, bad fats, and too much fat—how do we make sense of it all?
The most important fat fact is this: Your body’s actual fat requirement is
minuscule, as you saw earlier. Most people in Western countries get many times
the needed amount. With meats and dairy products front and center in their diets,
they not only get too much fat overall, they also get the wrong kind—saturated
fat, which boosts cholesterol and aggravates insulin resistance.
Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and full-fat soy products are also high in fat.
Although they are low in saturated fat, the overall amount is high, and you
should limit these foods accordingly.
As you also saw earlier, most vegetables, fruits, and beans contain very little
fat, and what they do have is a healthful mixture, including traces of the essential
fats alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid.
If, for any medical reason, you are increasing your oil intake, healthful
sources of omega-3 fats include walnuts, soy products, flaxseed, and, in
concentrated form, flax, linseed, canola, and walnut oils. Health food stores even
sell omega-3 supplements (e.g., DHA) drawn entirely from botanical sources.
They are a better choice than fish oils. Omega-6 oils are also sometimes used for